Jan 2, 2019, 3:02 pm
Last edit by: Jaffar
:-: Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi Wiki! :-:
Notes: All prices are in US Dollars and are exclusive of taxes unless specified (by ++)
Tax Information
• 10% Service Charge (levied by resort. For info on this and how it's distributed, see this post)
• 16% T-GST (Tourist Goods & Services Tax, levied by the Maldivian government, current as of Jan 1, 2023). Old 2022 rate was 12%.
• Total tax is 27.2%, not 26% as one would think. Example; $100 + 10% = $110, then add 16% on to $110 for a total of $127.20.
• Tip: To work out prices before the 27.2% taxes, multiply by 0.7862, i.e; 127.2 * 0.7862 = 100
• A Green Tax of $6pp/pn (levied by the Maldivian government) has been introduced starting from 1 November 2015. Points/Redemption bookings are exempt from the tax for up to two guests per room
Booking with points
• Bookings must be cancelled 30 days prior in order to avoid one full night's charge at BAR. (some days cancellation period is 14 days check your reservation details for the exact applicable cancellation policy)
• Website and phone agents state that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking stays with points. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN MAKING A POINTS BOOKING
• Free night certificate: The phone agent states that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking your free night. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN USING YOUR FREE NIGHT CERTIFICATE
• This hotel is extremely popular. Rooms are released to be booked with points about 1 year in advance. It seems to be a partially manual process so it's not an exact science. After being released those rooms get booked within a matter of minutes. If you have specific dates you want you need to book them one at a time a year in advance, or risk booking last minute. Yes that makes it hard to use the 5th night free. You can book 5 individual nights and cancel them all to rebook getting the 5th night free, but there's only about a 50% chance the rooms go back into inventory so it's risky. There is no secret, just check Hilton.com all the time. If you don't want to do that, someone else will and they'll get the rooms.
Transfers To and From Resort
• Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi is located in South Malé Atoll, 23km southwest of Malé and Velana International Airport [MLE] (also known as Malé International Airport, previously known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport)
• Transfer experience includes personal service for your group after luggage pick-up until arrival on the yacht; yacht includes dedicated server for champagne, non-alcoholic beverages, and light snacks. Departure experience on the yacht is the same, and your group be personally escorted through airline check-in until airport security.
• Pricing in 2021 is $650++, 2020 is $600++ per person, and 2019 it was $350++ per person per way ($1724.80 return inclusive of taxes for 2 passengers). The price for kids 5 and under is complimentary while kids 6-11 years old are charged $300++ per person. If the yacht is not available, a speedboat will be provided by the resort. If this happens, you may be refunded the yacht transfer fee.
• Pricing for 2022 will increase to $730++ for adults and $365++ children 6-12, see website by clicking here.
• Pricing for 2023 will increase to $780++ for adults ($995.28 nett) and $390++ for children 6-12
• The resort offers the ability to redeem Hilton Honors points for your transfer, .strValue1=all&promoGroupList[1].strValue1=en_US&qt[0].type=fieldsearch&qt[0].name=panname_country_s&qt[0].value1=MDV&rc=24&sort=timeleft_asc]click here.
• See this post for a detailed review of the yacht transfer (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Third party transfers are not permitted by the resort.
• Transfer to / from Conrad Maldives Rangali Island: A private seaplane transfer from the Waldorf to the Conrad, taking approximately 25 minutes, is approximately USD 8,125++. Most guests travel between the resort booking the standard round trip seaplane from Male to Rangali and then the Yacht transfer round trip from Male to Waldorf.
Time
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi time has been set one hour ahead of Male’ time to give an extra hour of daylight each day. For ease, set phone or Dhaka Sri Lanka time zone.
Resort Information / Spa / Activities
• WA Ithaafushi is made up of three islands (95% man-made)
• There are 2 standalone OWVs (Over Water Villas) and 121 villas in total
• Click here (Hilton's website) or here (dedicated website) to visit the resort on the web
• The kids club (one of the biggest in the Maldives) is for children between 4 to 11 years. Click here for detailed information and here for the schedule. Click here, here and here for basic reviews and comprehensive sets of pictures (All courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• See this and this post for info on the Christmas Eve and New Years Eve Gala Fee
• Click here to visit the resort's listing on TripAdvisor
• Tennis courts: See this post
• For a new map of the resort click here
> For the old map of the resort click here * Note that this map is orientated north and so the SUNRISE and SUNSET written on it are incorrect. Also note that you receive a black and white map when you arrive and this is not as good nor as detailed as the one posted here. For comments on the quality of the map, click here
• Snorkelling spots and other info 3e4sd:Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
• Scuba Diving pics :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Activities Brochure (prices as of July 2019)
• Spa pics and review :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Wellness Programme :Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
Resort Information - F&B and Menus
• The resort has 11 restaurants / bars
• Kids under 6 eat free when ordering from the dedicated kids menu (all restaurants except the adult only ones have kids menu; does not apply to in-room dining)
• Some restaurant menus are available in PDF format on the resort's website. Click here to visit the relevant page on their website
• Menus for most restaurants as of early October 2020: See this post
• For pictures of most of the menus: Part 1 and Part 2
• Dining Programme / restaurant opening times: See this post and the post below it
• IVD (In Villa Dining) menus: See this post
• Yasmeen - Menu version discussion here.
• Terra is $298.00++ per person. As of December 2019, the set menu includes Amuse Brioche (3 selections per person), a starter (tuna, avocado, caviar), 2 courses highlighting lobster and wagyu beef with a pallet cleanse in between, a dessert course, then finishing with 3 additional sweet selections per person.
• The Ledge - See this post. Note that this menu changes daily but there are probably only 2 for each day and 14 in total (7 for lunch and 7 for dinner). Chefs rotate to the resort from Burnt Ends in Singapore.
+ Peacock Alley 1/2 priced drinks daily after 9:30pm. High-quality cocktails and liquors available at a very affordable price ranging from $13-$15 post discount
+ Tasting Table full buffet breakfast with made to order entrees and complimentary Champagne for $65++/person or Free for Hilton Diamond / Gold
+ Glow and Yasmeen wine selections are priced in the $65 - $85 ++ range per bottle.
• Lunch can be purchased at the main pool or beach from Nava or The Ledge. The majority of lunch entrees cost $30-$50++. Lunch is also available at Tasting Table, Tangled, or In Villa Dining.
• A new pizza oven was flown in from Italy to replace the original oven installed at Nava, and an Italian chef traveled to the resort to work with the team to elevate pizza quality in early December of 2019.
• During festive season 2019, the resort introduced a lobster & champagne dinner on the beach, including tasting stations, free flow champagne, and a live band for $298++ per person.
Miscellaneous Information
• Villa pool depth: See this post
• Best snorkelling spots: See this post and this post
• Complimentary water (in villa): See this post
• Walking / getting around the resort: See this post
• Sunset / Sunrise at the resort: See this post and this post
• Power outlet configuration: See this post
Elite member benefits:
Accommodation:
At opening the resort defined Beach Villas as the lowest category of accommodation (only this category bookable with points). The next highest category was Reef Villas then above that, the Overwater Villas. Note: villas on the Private Island do not count.
This will change in 2020. Quote from the resort "Please be informed that for next year we have changed our villa category. Kindly note that the Reef Villa will be our base category, next will be the Overwater Villa and then the Beach Villa. Basically the Beach Villa will be a higher category compared to reef Villa and Overwater Villa."
See this post for the conversation related to this. Pricing has changed as well to reflect this. See below for 2020 pricing.
Note that as of August 2019 the BV is still available to book on points in 2020. This may change, however.
Prices - Accommodation (2020):
***** March 2020 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2630
• Overwater Villa USD 2430
• Reef Villa USD 1930
Prices - Accommodation (2019):
***** July 2019 Figures *****
• 2 Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool USD 3850
• 2 Bedroom Over Water Villa with Pool USD 4350
***** October 2019 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2100
• Grand Beach Villa USD 2300
• Reef Villa USD 2300
• Grand Reef Villa USD 2500
• Overwater Villa USD 2500
• Grand Overwater Villa USD 2700
***** Upgrade Costs - Jul 2019 *****
• Two Bedroom Beach - US 2000
• Two Bedroom Grand Beach - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Reef - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Overwater - US 2400
***** Upgrade Costs - Oct 2019 *****
• Reef Villa USD 200
• OWV USD 400
Villa Types and Abbreviations used in this thread (listed in order from most basic to most luxurious)
-- BVs (Beach Villas) --
BV (Beach Villa)
GBV (Grand Beach Villa)
-- RVs (Reef Villas) --
RV (Reef Villa, the Garden Villa category shown in the pre-opening promo video)
GRV (Grand Reef Villa, also a type of Garden Villa shown in the pre-opening promo video)
-- OWVs (Over Water Villas) aka Ocean Villas in rewards booking --
OV (Overwater Villa)
GOV (Grand Overwater Villa)
SMR (Stella Maris Residences)
-- Occupancy Information --
See this post for maximum occupancy of each villa type
Villa Selection
• See this post and this post
• Privacy - Beach Villas: For pics, info and opinions, see the following posts; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Travel & Safety Information
• The Maldives is listed in Category 1 (the highest category) on the
WHO Zika virus classification table. However, don't let that scare you because as of April 13, 2017 there has only been one confirmed case of Zika in the Maldives
• Click here for information related to the single Zika infection in the Maldives (reported in January of that year)
Contact
• General Enquiries: [email protected]
• Reservations Department: [email protected]
• Tel: +960-4000-300
• Click here for hilton site and click here for Waldorf Maldives website
Weather:
Note: since the resort is close to Mahibadhoo (where there is a weather station), I have added this info from the Conrad Maldives thread as both resorts are close by and the weather will be the same as far as forecasts go (MaldivesFreak)
• General info on weather in the Maldives: Link 1 Link 2 (Maldivian government website)
• Recommended Android weather app: eWeather HD. See this post for detailed info on the app, settings, tips and general weather info (Courtesy of MaldivesFreak)
• Want to get an idea about the weather in the month of August? Click here to read a post from a FT member that spends 2 weeks at Rangali during this month (Courtesy of Splotly)
Pictures - Resort under construction:
• January, 2018 :Link to post:
• June, 2018 :Link to post:
• Approx October, 2018 :Link to post:
• January, 2019 :Link to post:
Pictures & Videos - Post-opening:
• General pics of the resort (July, 2019) :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• The Stella Maris exclusive! :Link to post with links to videos: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #1 :Link to post: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #2 :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #3 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #4 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Another Getaway)
• IVD(in villa dining) :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Terra (views from all 7 'cages') :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Terra and Family Pool :Link to post with link to video: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Reef Villa with sunset view :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Views in the direction of Male (night & day pics) :Link to post 1: (Courtesy of wekxbrainx) :Link to post 2: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Bicycle tour :Link to post:
• Various resort and villa pics from a stay in November 2019 :Link to post: (Courtesy of aspenedelen)
Reviews:
• Review by Jermyn
• Review by goldelite8
• Review by escape4
• Review by Falcons05 (text only)
Historical Information for high rollers:
+ $135 shisha, Check out this post
+ If you do NOT have Gold/Diamond status with Free breakfast AND you decide NOT to pay the $65++ for full buffet at Tasting Table, then you may or may not encounter a $35 charge for a single egg
+ 106,000 dollar bottle of wine: Click
here for a picture of the wine menu (reactions follow on subsequent pages)
Notes: All prices are in US Dollars and are exclusive of taxes unless specified (by ++)
Tax Information
• 10% Service Charge (levied by resort. For info on this and how it's distributed, see this post)
• 16% T-GST (Tourist Goods & Services Tax, levied by the Maldivian government, current as of Jan 1, 2023). Old 2022 rate was 12%.
• Total tax is 27.2%, not 26% as one would think. Example; $100 + 10% = $110, then add 16% on to $110 for a total of $127.20.
• Tip: To work out prices before the 27.2% taxes, multiply by 0.7862, i.e; 127.2 * 0.7862 = 100
• A Green Tax of $6pp/pn (levied by the Maldivian government) has been introduced starting from 1 November 2015. Points/Redemption bookings are exempt from the tax for up to two guests per room
Booking with points
• Bookings must be cancelled 30 days prior in order to avoid one full night's charge at BAR. (some days cancellation period is 14 days check your reservation details for the exact applicable cancellation policy)
• Website and phone agents state that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking stays with points. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN MAKING A POINTS BOOKING
• Free night certificate: The phone agent states that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking your free night. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN USING YOUR FREE NIGHT CERTIFICATE
• This hotel is extremely popular. Rooms are released to be booked with points about 1 year in advance. It seems to be a partially manual process so it's not an exact science. After being released those rooms get booked within a matter of minutes. If you have specific dates you want you need to book them one at a time a year in advance, or risk booking last minute. Yes that makes it hard to use the 5th night free. You can book 5 individual nights and cancel them all to rebook getting the 5th night free, but there's only about a 50% chance the rooms go back into inventory so it's risky. There is no secret, just check Hilton.com all the time. If you don't want to do that, someone else will and they'll get the rooms.
Transfers To and From Resort
• Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi is located in South Malé Atoll, 23km southwest of Malé and Velana International Airport [MLE] (also known as Malé International Airport, previously known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport)
• Transfer experience includes personal service for your group after luggage pick-up until arrival on the yacht; yacht includes dedicated server for champagne, non-alcoholic beverages, and light snacks. Departure experience on the yacht is the same, and your group be personally escorted through airline check-in until airport security.
• Pricing in 2021 is $650++, 2020 is $600++ per person, and 2019 it was $350++ per person per way ($1724.80 return inclusive of taxes for 2 passengers). The price for kids 5 and under is complimentary while kids 6-11 years old are charged $300++ per person. If the yacht is not available, a speedboat will be provided by the resort. If this happens, you may be refunded the yacht transfer fee.
• Pricing for 2022 will increase to $730++ for adults and $365++ children 6-12, see website by clicking here.
• Pricing for 2023 will increase to $780++ for adults ($995.28 nett) and $390++ for children 6-12
• The resort offers the ability to redeem Hilton Honors points for your transfer, .strValue1=all&promoGroupList[1].strValue1=en_US&qt[0].type=fieldsearch&qt[0].name=panname_country_s&qt[0].value1=MDV&rc=24&sort=timeleft_asc]click here.
• See this post for a detailed review of the yacht transfer (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Third party transfers are not permitted by the resort.
• Transfer to / from Conrad Maldives Rangali Island: A private seaplane transfer from the Waldorf to the Conrad, taking approximately 25 minutes, is approximately USD 8,125++. Most guests travel between the resort booking the standard round trip seaplane from Male to Rangali and then the Yacht transfer round trip from Male to Waldorf.
Time
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi time has been set one hour ahead of Male’ time to give an extra hour of daylight each day. For ease, set phone or Dhaka Sri Lanka time zone.
Resort Information / Spa / Activities
• WA Ithaafushi is made up of three islands (95% man-made)
• There are 2 standalone OWVs (Over Water Villas) and 121 villas in total
• Click here (Hilton's website) or here (dedicated website) to visit the resort on the web
• The kids club (one of the biggest in the Maldives) is for children between 4 to 11 years. Click here for detailed information and here for the schedule. Click here, here and here for basic reviews and comprehensive sets of pictures (All courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• See this and this post for info on the Christmas Eve and New Years Eve Gala Fee
• Click here to visit the resort's listing on TripAdvisor
• Tennis courts: See this post
• For a new map of the resort click here
> For the old map of the resort click here * Note that this map is orientated north and so the SUNRISE and SUNSET written on it are incorrect. Also note that you receive a black and white map when you arrive and this is not as good nor as detailed as the one posted here. For comments on the quality of the map, click here
• Snorkelling spots and other info 3e4sd:Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
• Scuba Diving pics :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Activities Brochure (prices as of July 2019)
• Spa pics and review :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Wellness Programme :Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
Resort Information - F&B and Menus
• The resort has 11 restaurants / bars
• Kids under 6 eat free when ordering from the dedicated kids menu (all restaurants except the adult only ones have kids menu; does not apply to in-room dining)
• Some restaurant menus are available in PDF format on the resort's website. Click here to visit the relevant page on their website
• Menus for most restaurants as of early October 2020: See this post
• For pictures of most of the menus: Part 1 and Part 2
• Dining Programme / restaurant opening times: See this post and the post below it
• IVD (In Villa Dining) menus: See this post
• Yasmeen - Menu version discussion here.
• Terra is $298.00++ per person. As of December 2019, the set menu includes Amuse Brioche (3 selections per person), a starter (tuna, avocado, caviar), 2 courses highlighting lobster and wagyu beef with a pallet cleanse in between, a dessert course, then finishing with 3 additional sweet selections per person.
• The Ledge - See this post. Note that this menu changes daily but there are probably only 2 for each day and 14 in total (7 for lunch and 7 for dinner). Chefs rotate to the resort from Burnt Ends in Singapore.
+ Peacock Alley 1/2 priced drinks daily after 9:30pm. High-quality cocktails and liquors available at a very affordable price ranging from $13-$15 post discount
+ Tasting Table full buffet breakfast with made to order entrees and complimentary Champagne for $65++/person or Free for Hilton Diamond / Gold
+ Glow and Yasmeen wine selections are priced in the $65 - $85 ++ range per bottle.
• Lunch can be purchased at the main pool or beach from Nava or The Ledge. The majority of lunch entrees cost $30-$50++. Lunch is also available at Tasting Table, Tangled, or In Villa Dining.
• A new pizza oven was flown in from Italy to replace the original oven installed at Nava, and an Italian chef traveled to the resort to work with the team to elevate pizza quality in early December of 2019.
• During festive season 2019, the resort introduced a lobster & champagne dinner on the beach, including tasting stations, free flow champagne, and a live band for $298++ per person.
Miscellaneous Information
• Villa pool depth: See this post
• Best snorkelling spots: See this post and this post
• Complimentary water (in villa): See this post
• Walking / getting around the resort: See this post
• Sunset / Sunrise at the resort: See this post and this post
• Power outlet configuration: See this post
Elite member benefits:
Hilton Honors GOLD MEMBERS:
- Full breakfast at Tasting Table
- In-villa VIP welcome bottle of wine and fruits
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley. Note The afternoon delights have been removed and replaced with a bowl of nuts or crisps for example
- 50% special offer on selected beverages at Nava Beach Club from 22:00 to 23:30
- Full breakfast at Tasting Table
- Free item from the kids menu for kids under 6 y.o. (staff are somewhat flexible on this age limit)
- In-villa VIP welcome Champagne, sweet and savoury amenities, note this could be downgraded to a bottle of red wine.
- [Diamond only benefit] With a selected 60-minute massage, enjoy a complimentary additional 30-minute at Waldorf Astoria Spa
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley. Note : The afternoon delights have been removed and replaced with a bowl of nuts or crisps for example
- 50% special offer on selected beverages at Nava Beach Club from 22:00 to 23:30 (January 2021: Currently at Peacock Alley as Nava closes at 7pm due to Covid-19 service changes)
Accommodation:
At opening the resort defined Beach Villas as the lowest category of accommodation (only this category bookable with points). The next highest category was Reef Villas then above that, the Overwater Villas. Note: villas on the Private Island do not count.
This will change in 2020. Quote from the resort "Please be informed that for next year we have changed our villa category. Kindly note that the Reef Villa will be our base category, next will be the Overwater Villa and then the Beach Villa. Basically the Beach Villa will be a higher category compared to reef Villa and Overwater Villa."
See this post for the conversation related to this. Pricing has changed as well to reflect this. See below for 2020 pricing.
Note that as of August 2019 the BV is still available to book on points in 2020. This may change, however.
Prices - Accommodation (2020):
***** March 2020 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2630
• Overwater Villa USD 2430
• Reef Villa USD 1930
Prices - Accommodation (2019):
***** July 2019 Figures *****
• 2 Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool USD 3850
• 2 Bedroom Over Water Villa with Pool USD 4350
***** October 2019 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2100
• Grand Beach Villa USD 2300
• Reef Villa USD 2300
• Grand Reef Villa USD 2500
• Overwater Villa USD 2500
• Grand Overwater Villa USD 2700
***** Upgrade Costs - Jul 2019 *****
• Two Bedroom Beach - US 2000
• Two Bedroom Grand Beach - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Reef - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Overwater - US 2400
***** Upgrade Costs - Oct 2019 *****
• Reef Villa USD 200
• OWV USD 400
Villa Types and Abbreviations used in this thread (listed in order from most basic to most luxurious)
-- BVs (Beach Villas) --
BV (Beach Villa)
GBV (Grand Beach Villa)
-- RVs (Reef Villas) --
RV (Reef Villa, the Garden Villa category shown in the pre-opening promo video)
GRV (Grand Reef Villa, also a type of Garden Villa shown in the pre-opening promo video)
-- OWVs (Over Water Villas) aka Ocean Villas in rewards booking --
OV (Overwater Villa)
GOV (Grand Overwater Villa)
SMR (Stella Maris Residences)
-- Occupancy Information --
See this post for maximum occupancy of each villa type
Villa Selection
• See this post and this post
• Privacy - Beach Villas: For pics, info and opinions, see the following posts; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Travel & Safety Information
• The Maldives is listed in Category 1 (the highest category) on the
WHO Zika virus classification table. However, don't let that scare you because as of April 13, 2017 there has only been one confirmed case of Zika in the Maldives
• Click here for information related to the single Zika infection in the Maldives (reported in January of that year)
Contact
• General Enquiries: [email protected]
• Reservations Department: [email protected]
• Tel: +960-4000-300
• Click here for hilton site and click here for Waldorf Maldives website
Weather:
Note: since the resort is close to Mahibadhoo (where there is a weather station), I have added this info from the Conrad Maldives thread as both resorts are close by and the weather will be the same as far as forecasts go (MaldivesFreak)
• General info on weather in the Maldives: Link 1 Link 2 (Maldivian government website)
• Recommended Android weather app: eWeather HD. See this post for detailed info on the app, settings, tips and general weather info (Courtesy of MaldivesFreak)
• Want to get an idea about the weather in the month of August? Click here to read a post from a FT member that spends 2 weeks at Rangali during this month (Courtesy of Splotly)
Pictures - Resort under construction:
• January, 2018 :Link to post:
• June, 2018 :Link to post:
• Approx October, 2018 :Link to post:
• January, 2019 :Link to post:
Pictures & Videos - Post-opening:
• General pics of the resort (July, 2019) :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• The Stella Maris exclusive! :Link to post with links to videos: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #1 :Link to post: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #2 :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #3 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #4 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Another Getaway)
• IVD(in villa dining) :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Terra (views from all 7 'cages') :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Terra and Family Pool :Link to post with link to video: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Reef Villa with sunset view :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Views in the direction of Male (night & day pics) :Link to post 1: (Courtesy of wekxbrainx) :Link to post 2: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Bicycle tour :Link to post:
• Various resort and villa pics from a stay in November 2019 :Link to post: (Courtesy of aspenedelen)
Reviews:
• Review by Jermyn
• Review by goldelite8
• Review by escape4
• Review by Falcons05 (text only)
Historical Information for high rollers:
+ $135 shisha, Check out this post
+ If you do NOT have Gold/Diamond status with Free breakfast AND you decide NOT to pay the $65++ for full buffet at Tasting Table, then you may or may not encounter a $35 charge for a single egg
+ 106,000 dollar bottle of wine: Click
here for a picture of the wine menu (reactions follow on subsequent pages)
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}
Jan 31, 2021, 4:55 pm
#91
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 154
Their website specifically says they don't do resort to resort transfers, although I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask.
If you need to stay in Male for a night, I'd recommend staying either at the Hotel Jen (a Shang-ri La chain hotel) or the Samann Grand. Hotel Jen is the most expensive hotel on Male since it belong to a luxury brand, but at least you'll know what you're getting. Samann Grand offers free direct transfers from the airport so you don't need to worry about having to haggle for a taxi or something.
If you need to stay in Male for a night, I'd recommend staying either at the Hotel Jen (a Shang-ri La chain hotel) or the Samann Grand. Hotel Jen is the most expensive hotel on Male since it belong to a luxury brand, but at least you'll know what you're getting. Samann Grand offers free direct transfers from the airport so you don't need to worry about having to haggle for a taxi or something.
Jan 31, 2021, 5:25 pm
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,148
They perform PCR tests, they take a swab from the nose and one from the throat. The resort doctor will come to your villa to make the swabs, the samples are sent to the ADK hospital in Malé. Our samples were taken Thursday at 11am, Friday at late afternoon our concierge sent the PDF results. But I can see on the certificate that test processing was completed at the hospital at 7:15pm Thursday.
Jan 31, 2021, 6:55 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,148
We just completed a 6 night stay, Sunday to Saturday, one weekend night certificate and 5 point nights. Diamond status secured free breakfasts. Our only prior visit to the Maldives was two years ago at the St Regis, so that would be our benchmark for this stay.
We got a reef villa, 512. While the reef villas are not officially overwater villas, to most extends and purposes they are overwater. The indoor are is basically bathroom and bedroom, though a small seating area as well. The living room is really the outdoor area under the gazebo. There is a daybed, two chairs with a side table, and a small café table with chairs. The only real gripe we had about the room, there are no outlets for the outdoor living room, as most guests while in the villa will probably spend most of their time here, it would be good to be able to plug in devices. As there are several lamps, i.e. cabling, already, should be an easy thing to add. When we had a chat to the director of rooms and the resort manager, we mentioned this and they seemed very appreciative of the feedback. Location wise, I would say that the 5XX reef villas are the best on the resort, being close to the most central location for everything on the resort, yet still as private as can be. With the true overwater villas you can be quite far from all the F&B outlets and other activities. At the far end of the one pier you would be about 2.5km from breakfast, though if you only plan room service breakfast that might not matter.
As the welcome amenities for Diamonds we got a surprisingly good bottle of champagne and a huge fruit bowl on arrival, and fresh fruit and various snacks ever so often.
The breakfast is very good, the buffet offers a very wide variety of options. Though I have to say, compared to the St Regis, the cooked to order items are uninspired and limited in choice. Each option I tried was good and well prepared, but for a resort of this caliber I would have expected a bit more. Overall, the breakfast was excellent though.
We only went for lunch once, mostly as between breakfast, Diamond happy hour at Peacock Alley and sunset drinks at Amber, the need for additional food before dinner was non existent. Though on the day of departure, we went to The Ledge for lunch, and while 50 USD++ for the cheese burger is quite steep, it is very nice and worth to try. You could share it between two people for a light lunch, or with a couple of extra sides for a bit more solid lunch. The fish tacos were also excellent.
For dinner we tried Yasmeen, The Ledge, Glow, Li Long, and Terra. They were all excellent, the F&B for dinner clearly out performs St Regis. I think my favourite meals were Yasmeen and The Ledge, but it is a close call. There was nothing negative about any of the experiences.
They had also just opened a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, while the menus looked good, albeit pricey, living in Japan we were not too tempted to try.
The yacht transfer worked really smoothly, in less than 5 minutes from exiting the baggage claim area we were onboard, and immediately on the way as we were the only two on this transfer. We were charged 1600 USD total for the transfer of two people. On the way back we were 3 groups on the yacht, but as it was one of the bigger ones, we could easily separate out, and it did not feel crowded. Compared to the seaplane to St Regis, we were already sailing in the time it just took to complete check in.
We did not take part in too many activities, as we were mainly just relaxing by the pool, swimming in the sea from the villa, or enjoying food and drinks. Without going diving , we saw sharks and a lot of fish coming right up to the resort area, very cool. The service at the resort was outstanding in all aspects. The room was always made up while we were at breakfast, and as we only left the room around 4pm the last day, the room was fully serviced that morning, including a replenishment of the fresh fruit.
On departure the resort offers PCR testing, we were charged 160 USD for the testing of two people. It all went very quickly and smoothly, the resort in house doctor comes to your villa takes the swabs and they are sent to Malé for analysis. Your concierge will make sure to time the swab taking in relation to the requirements of your arrival country. As a default they will put your passport number on the certificate (some countries does require this)
In comparison to the St Regis, there is no clear winner. Both have points were they are better or less good than the other. I would be very happy to go back to either one of them. The choice might end up being more a matter of points availability (both in our accounts and for booking) or the cash price for the booking more than an actual preference for the resort. Though by the time we would be heading for the next trip to the Maldives, we would probably want to try the Ritz Carlton as well.
We got a reef villa, 512. While the reef villas are not officially overwater villas, to most extends and purposes they are overwater. The indoor are is basically bathroom and bedroom, though a small seating area as well. The living room is really the outdoor area under the gazebo. There is a daybed, two chairs with a side table, and a small café table with chairs. The only real gripe we had about the room, there are no outlets for the outdoor living room, as most guests while in the villa will probably spend most of their time here, it would be good to be able to plug in devices. As there are several lamps, i.e. cabling, already, should be an easy thing to add. When we had a chat to the director of rooms and the resort manager, we mentioned this and they seemed very appreciative of the feedback. Location wise, I would say that the 5XX reef villas are the best on the resort, being close to the most central location for everything on the resort, yet still as private as can be. With the true overwater villas you can be quite far from all the F&B outlets and other activities. At the far end of the one pier you would be about 2.5km from breakfast, though if you only plan room service breakfast that might not matter.
As the welcome amenities for Diamonds we got a surprisingly good bottle of champagne and a huge fruit bowl on arrival, and fresh fruit and various snacks ever so often.
The breakfast is very good, the buffet offers a very wide variety of options. Though I have to say, compared to the St Regis, the cooked to order items are uninspired and limited in choice. Each option I tried was good and well prepared, but for a resort of this caliber I would have expected a bit more. Overall, the breakfast was excellent though.
We only went for lunch once, mostly as between breakfast, Diamond happy hour at Peacock Alley and sunset drinks at Amber, the need for additional food before dinner was non existent. Though on the day of departure, we went to The Ledge for lunch, and while 50 USD++ for the cheese burger is quite steep, it is very nice and worth to try. You could share it between two people for a light lunch, or with a couple of extra sides for a bit more solid lunch. The fish tacos were also excellent.
For dinner we tried Yasmeen, The Ledge, Glow, Li Long, and Terra. They were all excellent, the F&B for dinner clearly out performs St Regis. I think my favourite meals were Yasmeen and The Ledge, but it is a close call. There was nothing negative about any of the experiences.
They had also just opened a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, while the menus looked good, albeit pricey, living in Japan we were not too tempted to try.
The yacht transfer worked really smoothly, in less than 5 minutes from exiting the baggage claim area we were onboard, and immediately on the way as we were the only two on this transfer. We were charged 1600 USD total for the transfer of two people. On the way back we were 3 groups on the yacht, but as it was one of the bigger ones, we could easily separate out, and it did not feel crowded. Compared to the seaplane to St Regis, we were already sailing in the time it just took to complete check in.
We did not take part in too many activities, as we were mainly just relaxing by the pool, swimming in the sea from the villa, or enjoying food and drinks. Without going diving , we saw sharks and a lot of fish coming right up to the resort area, very cool. The service at the resort was outstanding in all aspects. The room was always made up while we were at breakfast, and as we only left the room around 4pm the last day, the room was fully serviced that morning, including a replenishment of the fresh fruit.
On departure the resort offers PCR testing, we were charged 160 USD for the testing of two people. It all went very quickly and smoothly, the resort in house doctor comes to your villa takes the swabs and they are sent to Malé for analysis. Your concierge will make sure to time the swab taking in relation to the requirements of your arrival country. As a default they will put your passport number on the certificate (some countries does require this)
In comparison to the St Regis, there is no clear winner. Both have points were they are better or less good than the other. I would be very happy to go back to either one of them. The choice might end up being more a matter of points availability (both in our accounts and for booking) or the cash price for the booking more than an actual preference for the resort. Though by the time we would be heading for the next trip to the Maldives, we would probably want to try the Ritz Carlton as well.
Jan 31, 2021, 7:56 pm
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Jan 31, 2021, 9:07 pm
#96
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 731
Nice comparison with St. Regis
This is great to hear you liked both about the same. We're going here next year and wondered if it would be comparable. How was the snorkeling around the house reef? We loved the St. Regis beds- how did you find the ones here? We're very happy to hear you liked the food better. It sounds like there are more choices, too. If you had your option of any room, what would it be at WA? Any other comparisons you have would be great to hear as well. The breakfasts at St. Regis were outstanding. We've never had another that's even close. So happy you enjoyed your trip!
Feb 1, 2021, 2:15 am
#97
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 478
Or you can ask the water sports provider ( Ocean Group | LET THE OCEAN BE YOUR PLAYGROUND ), how much they charge for a transfer/snorkeling trip from one of their partner resorts (Fous seasons, Taj) to the WA.
Last edited by Canarsie; Feb 10, 2021 at 12:04 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Feb 1, 2021, 2:57 am
#98
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 156
Or you can ask the water sports provider ( Ocean Group | LET THE OCEAN BE YOUR PLAYGROUND ), how much they charge for a transfer/snorkeling trip from one of their partner resorts (Fous seasons, Taj) to the WA.
For privacy and safety reasons, resort does not permit outside boats for transfers.
https://waldorfastoria3.hilton.com/e.../policies.html
Feb 1, 2021, 3:49 am
#99
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
Their website specifically says they don't do resort to resort transfers, although I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask.
If you need to stay in Male for a night, I'd recommend staying either at the Hotel Jen (a Shang-ri La chain hotel) or the Samann Grand. Hotel Jen is the most expensive hotel on Male since it belong to a luxury brand, but at least you'll know what you're getting. Samann Grand offers free direct transfers from the airport so you don't need to worry about having to haggle for a taxi or something.
If you need to stay in Male for a night, I'd recommend staying either at the Hotel Jen (a Shang-ri La chain hotel) or the Samann Grand. Hotel Jen is the most expensive hotel on Male since it belong to a luxury brand, but at least you'll know what you're getting. Samann Grand offers free direct transfers from the airport so you don't need to worry about having to haggle for a taxi or something.
Feb 1, 2021, 4:02 am
#100
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This is great to hear you liked both about the same. We're going here next year and wondered if it would be comparable. How was the snorkeling around the house reef? We loved the St. Regis beds- how did you find the ones here? We're very happy to hear you liked the food better. It sounds like there are more choices, too. If you had your option of any room, what would it be at WA? Any other comparisons you have would be great to hear as well. The breakfasts at St. Regis were outstanding. We've never had another that's even close. So happy you enjoyed your trip!
The beds are very comfy. Same same as St R I would say.
If money is no objection, a few nights at Stella Maris could be cool. Otherwise I would probably go with a 5 numbered reef villa. I thought the combination of location, layout, and effectively being over water makes them ideal. Odd or even numbered depending on prevailing wind direction of the season.
It is allowed. For select properties in Malé. But if I remember correctly there is something to be registered in advance for split stays.
Last edited by Canarsie; Feb 10, 2021 at 12:04 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Feb 1, 2021, 4:13 am
#101
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 478
so this is from WAs own website
For privacy and safety reasons, resort does not permit outside boats for transfers.
https://waldorfastoria3.hilton.com/e.../policies.html
For privacy and safety reasons, resort does not permit outside boats for transfers.
https://waldorfastoria3.hilton.com/e.../policies.html
Last year Conrad Rangali gave me a offer of 3000$++ for a one way speed boat transfer to the WA.
Nowadays, Conrad isn‘t operating any speedboats anymore, this service is taken over by Ocean group, a friend was given a similar quote to mine this year.
Feb 1, 2021, 5:25 am
#102
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
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That being said, we've also got Gili Lankanfushi booked after our WA stay so if it came down to it that we couldn't do 3 resorts because of the Covid restrictions then I'll have to stump up for the WA for that night, I guess. From what I've read split stays are currently allowed, so I'm hoping that doesn't change. Not travelling until mid-May so fingers crossed.
Feb 1, 2021, 5:57 am
#103
Formerly known as hcampana
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AMS
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 463
We don't do too much snorkeling, so I might not be the best point of reference, but there is decent amount of sealife around the resort. Though for really great snorkeling you'd probably want to do a tour.
The beds are very comfy. Same same as St R I would say.
If money is no objection, a few nights at Stella Maris could be cool. Otherwise I would probably go with a 5 numbered reef villa. I thought the combination of location, layout, and effectively being over water makes them ideal. Odd or even numbered depending on prevailing wind direction of the season.
The beds are very comfy. Same same as St R I would say.
If money is no objection, a few nights at Stella Maris could be cool. Otherwise I would probably go with a 5 numbered reef villa. I thought the combination of location, layout, and effectively being over water makes them ideal. Odd or even numbered depending on prevailing wind direction of the season.
I’m having a real hard time finding something good.
has Anyone found anything that covers quarantine expenses???
Feb 1, 2021, 6:06 am
#104
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I'm in exactly the same situation and have booked the Sheraton for an absolutely crazy cheap rate for the one night. We arrive around 9am so will take the Sheraton boat transfer, spend the day there, and head back to Male the following morning after breakfast to pick up the WA transfer. I think my Sheraton stay was something like $350 for the night including the return transfers and breakfast.
That being said, we've also got Gili Lankanfushi booked after our WA stay so if it came down to it that we couldn't do 3 resorts because of the Covid restrictions then I'll have to stump up for the WA for that night, I guess. From what I've read split stays are currently allowed, so I'm hoping that doesn't change. Not travelling until mid-May so fingers crossed.
That being said, we've also got Gili Lankanfushi booked after our WA stay so if it came down to it that we couldn't do 3 resorts because of the Covid restrictions then I'll have to stump up for the WA for that night, I guess. From what I've read split stays are currently allowed, so I'm hoping that doesn't change. Not travelling until mid-May so fingers crossed.
Last edited by Canarsie; Feb 10, 2021 at 12:05 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Feb 1, 2021, 7:47 am
#105
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They won't cover the quarantine rates in Waldorf but covers them at the hotels the govt is using. https://allied.mv/insurance-plan/allied-inbound/